Gene Editing: A Next Generation Tool for Invasive Species Management?

When:

Biotechnology is a transformative technology, giving rise to a range of new products and applications, including for invasive species management. New developments in gene editing, such as CRISPR-Cas, allow us to easily rewrite sections of an organism’s DNA in a way that promotes the spread of maladaptive traits through a population. These “gene drives” hold promise as a method for controlling or even eradicating major invasive species, such as herbicide-resistant weeds, disease-vectoring mosquitoes, rats on islands, and Asian carps. However, this powerful technology also raises important questions about ethical ramifications, risk management, and appropriate application and regulation.

This webinar will convene experts to introduce this emerging technology and its potential application to the control of invasive species and to discuss the difficult questions on how to navigate the deployment of this new tool.